NAND and NOR gates are called universal gates primarily, because they

Options

A. are available universally
B. can be combined to produce OR, AND and NOT gates
C. are widely used in integrated circuits
D. are easiest to manufacture

Answer

To solve the question regarding why NAND and NOR gates are called universal gates, we can break down the reasoning step by step.

### Step-by-Step Solution:

1. **Understanding Universal Gates**:
- Universal gates are logic gates that can be used to create any other type of gate (AND, OR, NOT) through combinations of themselves.

2. **Identifying NAND and NOR Gates**:
- The NAND gate is a combination of an AND gate followed by a NOT operation.
- The NOR gate is a combination of an OR gate followed by a NOT operation.

3. **Producing Other Gates**:
- By using multiple NAND gates, we can create:
- An AND gate: By connecting two NAND gates in a certain configuration.
- An OR gate: By using NAND gates to create the equivalent of an OR function.
- A NOT gate: By connecting a single input to a NAND gate.
- Similarly, NOR gates can also be used to create AND, OR, and NOT gates.

4. **Application in Integrated Circuits**:
- NAND and NOR gates are widely used in digital electronics and integrated circuits. Their ability to be combined to form any other gate makes them very versatile and essential in circuit design.

5. **Conclusion**:
- The primary reason NAND and NOR gates are referred to as universal gates is because they can be combined to produce all other basic gates (AND, OR, NOT), and they are widely used in integrated circuits.

### Final Answer:
NAND and NOR gates are called universal gates primarily because they can be combined to produce all other basic gates (AND, OR, NOT) and are widely used in integrated circuits.